This invention relates to a new strain of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which is the major etiological agent of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). More particularly, this invention relates to the new strain, products derived from the new strain, a diagnostic method for detecting antibodies to the strain in biological fluids, and to a diagnostic kit for carrying out the method.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized as a unique clinical syndrome consisting of opportunistic infection with or without neoplasia associated with unexplained immunodeficiency. It was eventually discovered that AIDS was caused by a family of viruses, which are now identified as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
The clinical spectrum of disease caused by HIV is not limited to immunosuppression. Neurological manifestations are also observed, and these manifestations are not restricted to infections or primary lymphoma; numerous recent reports suggest a neurotropism of HIV. Symptoms and signs of central nervous system involvement may be associated to seroconversion, ARC and AIDS, or may be the sole manifestation of HIV infection. However, there is no description of acute and regressive central nervous system involvement during the course of chronic systemic HIV-1 infection.
More particularly, several neurological disorders have been related to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Acute encephalopathy and aseptic meningitis have been associated to seroconversion (1), and vacuolar myelopathy and AIDS dementia complex to the chronic infection (2-3). AIDS dementia complex may appear as one of the first major manifestations of HIV infection (4). These findings and the isolation of HIV from cerebrospinal fluid and neural tissues (5) suggest direct or indirect central nervous system (CNS) infection by HIV that may occur early in the course of systemic virus infection.
There exists a need in the art for information on variants of HIV. More particularly, there exists a need in the art to investigate the underlying mechanisms of HIV. Indeed, variations in HIV are likely to be associated with important biological functions, and their delineation would be a step towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenicity. More importantly, identification and isolation of retroviral variants must first be achieved.